Liberal Party (Kingdom of Serbia)


The Liberal Party was a liberal political party active in the Kingdom of Serbia between 1883 and 1895. It was led by historian Jovan Ristić and then lawyer Jovan Avakumović.

History

The "Liberals", an opposition group formed in the 1840s, established the Association of Serbian Youth in 1847. These liberals participated in the May Assembly in Sremski Karlovci and the Petrovdan Assembly in Kragujevac. The liberals had an important role in the overthrow of the regime of Prince Aleksandar Karađorđević in 1858, which resulted in the return of the rival Obrenović dynasty. Liberals founded the United Serb Youth. Their ideas were close to those of Jovan Ristić. The Liberals were Russophiles and Obrenović-supporters, closely linked with the Serbian Orthodox Church and especially with Metropolitan Mihailo who himself was a liberal. In national politics, they had the aim of liberation of all Serbs. On the political spectrum, the Liberals were between the Conservatives and the Markovićevci.
Liberals founded the Society for the Promotion of Serbian Literature in 1881, then transformed the organization into a political party, the Liberal Party, in 1883.

Leaders